eLearning Policies & Standards
Clark College strives to maintain the highest quality standards possible and follow all federal, state, and institution-level policies for the offering and delivery of all eLearning programs and courses.
Quality Matters
Quality Matters (QM) is a nationally-recognized, faculty-driven peer-review process used to ensure the quality of online and hybrid course design. For information about how Quality Matters is used at Clark College, along with faculty testimonials describing the benefits and effects of using Quality Matters, please visit our Quality Matters web pages.
Accreditation
Clark College is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. For more information, self-study reports, reaffirmation letters, and more, please visit the Accreditation web page.
Out-of-State Students
Students from all states and the District of Columbia can apply to Clark College. Clark College is a member of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), which allows students residing in other states and commonwealths to attend Clark's online classes. Check with Clark College to determine if there are any restrictions with degree programs for students out the state of Washington.
What is SARA?
SARA is an agreement among member states that establishes comparable national standards for interstate offering of postsecondary distance education courses and programs. SARA's intent is to make it easier for students to take online courses offered by postsecondary institutions based in another state.
Professional Licensure
Clark College's online programs do not lead to professional licensure. However, all of our courses and programs are fully accredited and course credits may transfer to university programs that may lead to state professional licensure. For information specific to professional licensures and certifications, visit the Professional Licensure and Certification Disclosures page and speak with your academic department head for specific details.
Student Complaints
Clark College strives to offer our students an excellent eLearning education. In accomplishing this excellence, and as part of the process of gaining approval to serve out-of-state students, state and federal guidelines require us to provide information about the Student Complaint Process.
Student Complaint Resolution Process
In the unlikely event you have an issue with our online instruction or student servcies, please follow the Student Complaint Process outlined at the Student Complaint Process website. Students may also contact:
- Clark College's accreditation agency, The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, which is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the U.S. Department of Education.
- The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) has authority to investigate student complaints against specific schools. WSAC may not be able to investigate every student complaint. Visit Washington Student Achievement Council Student Complaint Process for information regarding the WSAC complaint process.
State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) Contacts by State
NC-SARA maintains a list of states and institutions nationally participating in SARA. The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement is an agreement among member states, districts and territories that establishes comparable national standards for interstate offering of post-secondary distance education courses and programs.
For more information, please visit the SARA site describing Student Benefits or the individual State Actions Regarding SARA.
Accessibility Statements and Privacy Policies
Clark College is committed to providing a fully accessible online learning experience to all students. Please refer to the Accessibility Statements and Privacy Policies web page for links to accessibility statements and privacy policies of technologies that may be used in online and hybrid courses.
Consumer Information Student Right to Know
Clark College provides consumer information available to the general public as well as students, faculty, and prospective students. Please see the Consumer Information Student Right to Know webpage for detailed information.